Wildlife and Fire: Communication to improve wildlife outcomes

In January, the Southwest Fire Science Consortium, USDA Forest Service, Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, and many other partners hosted a two-day workshop on the intersection of wildlife and fire. Based on the needs identified in the workshop, this collaborative group is hosting a yearlong series of workshops, webinars, and reports. This series is intended to help researchers and practitioners across fire and wildlife disciplines exchange ideas, tools, and lessons to address the rapid pace and scale of fire management.

In the fifth and final webinar of this series, a panel of experts with experience in biology, incident command, prescribed fire, communications, and more discuss multiple aspects of communication to highlight its importance in improving outcomes for both wildlife and fire impacts. Presenters discuss how communication between all functional areas is often a critical aspect of successful implementation using the case study of the 2021 Stable Canyon prescribed burn that was completed in occupied Mexican Spotted Owl habitat; the most common challenges in communication between fire and wildlife managers, using first-hand experience to highlight possible solutions for communications improvement; the role of communication in dislodging outdated thinking to connect audiences with a deeper understanding of wildland management including wildlife and wildland fire; and how effective communication skills are integral to a Resource Advisor (READ) successfully minimizing the adverse effects of fire suppression activities and rehabilitation on fish and wildlife. 

Panelists

• Jack Williams, Endangered Species Biologist, USDA Forest Service
• Dr. Joel Iverson, Professor, University of Montana
• Julia Camp, District Wildlife Biologist, USDA Forest Service
• Dennis Carril, Fire Management Specialist, USDA Forest Service